Fuel economizer



Feb. 2o, 1945. v. ARNOLD 2,369,995

FUEL ECONOMI ZER Filed NOV. 28. 1941 il 4f Mw.

Patented Feb. 20, 1945 U N I TED S;Tii'lllf` PATENT., Q FE IC 2,369,995*l FUEL ECONGMIZER,

Victor EiAr'nold, Westmont, A'N."'J.

Application-NovemberzZS, 1941, Serial No.l 4205872 ,'CIainis..p. Cl.110--97 My invention relates to furnace insert material'.l

by which is conserved the heatvfrom intermittent operation of anvoilburningfor gas burningy flame..

One of the'fpurposesofftheinventionis to build' up a conical structurespacedfrorrr thel inner furnace. wall, using super-imposed 'grate-'like'disc i baffles' and"spacers'-thefpassages `in leach baffle being in`rline with metal ofthe baille above, successively.

A- vfurtherpurpose' :is provide a composite@ conical grate-likebalestructure within the come:v bustion chamber ofthefurn'ace-iniwhichroilor f gas fuel is used and lwhich'fis* spaced one`bafei above another and separated fromtheside'walls of the combustionchamber, the-cone converging' from the bottom upwardly."

A further purpose sto build up a conicaltpile of grate-Eke discmaterial. comprising "successive baffles spaced'fromi the inside f lthecombustion.:l chamber, and from'feachzother; and havingjtliei bale ribsorfother` solid structure of each'cdisceirr4 linewith passageswithinthe, disc nextbelowf A further purpose is' to'formfaheatvreceiving '1 and conserving element Withinfafurnace :beingconverted from a'coalnburningtooil :or gasvburnf ing construction which:isi :divided into half f sec-f tions in orderv that it' may'be-possible .toget the sections in lwith a :minimum ofi-difficulty.:

Further purposes :will appear-:in x'the -specica-1.

tionsand in the claims;

Figure 1 is a -sideelevation Apartly broken-awaysV to show theconstruction of a furnace embodyingrJ the invention.

Figures 2, y3, 4, -5, 6 and 7 are'top p'lanfviewsof'` the various discsseenin Figure 1.1-

Figures '8, 9,- 10 andll 'are' perspective'iviewsf.; showing spacingblocks intended to' support 'suoi-f cessive grate-like heat distributingand receiving.v Figure 11 includes-also an inver-tedvewof discs. acooperating part.W

Figure 12 is a fragmentary 'section of aportion-1 ofthe ringinrFigurefl.,

Figure-13 isfa section takenaullionrlineJ gl3-f-t3 v in Figure 12,eXceptthat `it: showsa single-grate bar only.

Figure 14 is a .fragmentary schematic viewcorresponding ,to asectio-ncf.Figure 2 :taken upon line I 4- I 4, but showingitwo bales;

Figure' 15 is top plan View ofa'modication, corresponding ito theformshown in FigureJY.;

Inethe vdrawing-similar numerals 'indicate like I parts.

It is commonto replace a coal-supportinggrate by brckor other struc-tureupony which theA nozzle of an oil or `gas burning heater bearsin theintere mittent operation of a furnacefandfthese substie. tuteconstructions take,2 a ,'variety of diilerentfI forms;

The' present invention builds up 'a heat, cone;

serving unit forming an reconomizerfand Yusngi for theA purpose aplurality ofbailiezdiscs'arranged one over anothenspaced :bytheatconserving blocks.: The discs areA preferably inztapered form;

the metal parts-being upwardly'. flared Aandl the, spaces ybetweenfpresentinggznear the; circumfer ence,1. openings in vone disc in line,Withbaileribsr inthe next adjoining disc; The unit so composed isfspacedfrom Vthe .Wallsof' the furnace chamber; f so as to allow olwof productsof-combustionn0t only :through the unit-,.vertically,. .with'ilateraldiversion ofv the t products of' fcombustiotrrfromf l. space to spacelas the-products'fpassffupthrough the unit, but also toenvelope theunitzin hot prod-- ucts of combustion locatedzbetween theiunit; and

- the. inner furnacewall..l

owoutwardly frombetweenthe baffle discs;v

Obviously the number :of baille y discs' imay Tbez; varied greatlyl andf vthe frelations between them;- -may be modiedsowlong asthey comeWithinf-the,

range' f characteristics- .-whichidentify' my.` in-1 vention.

In the i structure shown',v six "discs, iappearg with spacing blocks'between;A These discs-are made' up :each of 'aty least tworpartsintheviews :ap-- proximating halves; capable -of. insertion'rsepf.. aratelyduringthe buildingeup ofaazunit. andresting as a unit uponfeet 24 and25.,

Beginning with 'the bottom, the two parts fof* these respective ydiscshave bengiven the ,num-1 are numbered respectively' 32 and` 33.1 They:do more than 'merely support various. disc-likefvbaf'- againstslidingmovement..

The :several discs progressively Yreduce ,fing open:l space twithin thesizes,a,that. is,f-in;the 4 total cross 'section offopenspace,lwithinftheinteriorof the discs, andYcorrespondingly:increase fromtherbot.-

tomupwardly progressively in :the vproportion of metal inyeacl'ifzdisc;` notwithstanding thatfeach4 upper disc is :smaller hinfdiameter than 1' the tnext lower disc. Y,

fies inta :unitxrestingzas -aiunit upon the ,top-34 z of furnace wall35-as-each-nxtun1 holds also:v

'next the rim than at their inner ends 5|.

The metal of the discs is preferably of the same character as is infurnace grates and the discs perform a function somewhat similar tofurnace grates. There are some diierences, that they do not supportfuel, and whereas the furnace grate is cooled as much as possible toperform its function without reducing the heat of the fire, the presentbaille discs are intended to heat to a relatively high temperature, justbeneath that temperature at which the discs will warp or buckle, itbeing the intention that the discs themselves may take up heat duringeach operation of the burner 36 and mixing and distributing motor unit31.

Assuming without restricting, that the sections of the respective discsare half sections and describing the lowermost of the sections rst, Iwill next describe the disc shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 2 two half sections are shown together as completing thelowermost disc. They comprise half sections 26 and 26 meeting at theirends and held together, in part at least by cooperating ribs or pinsengaging with the upper surfaces of the feet and the under surfaces ofthe blocks next above. 'I'he lower disc comprises circumferentiallyextending rim portions 38, which are tapered in cross section so as tohave their larger cross sections in the upper part at 39 and theirsmaller sections in the lower part at 4U, and inwardly extending prongs4l. The outer and inner limiting lateral ring (disc) surfaces 42 and 43are both sloped downwardly, converging toward the bottom and terminatingin upper rim surfaces 44 and lower rim surfaces 45.

The lower rim surfaces 45 near the ends of the half sections aretransversely grooved at 46 to receive generally upwardly extending tiestrips 41, upon the supporting spacers, here the upper faces of the feetof Figure 9.

The prongs 4l of this lowermost disc form approximately radial inwardlyextending ribs of spoke-like character which however do not extend tothe center, not even to hubs, and are intended for heat storing anddistributing purposes. They are preferably of approximately the sameannular thickness and approximately the same in vertical depth as therim portions of the discs and connect rigidly with these rim portions.As a result they appear somewhat as shortened spokes connecting with therim in each case but not with any interior structure common to thedifferent prongs or ribs.

In the illustration the prongs are tapered in vertical cross sectionsperpendicular to the radial lengths of the prongs so as to be widercircumferentially at their upper faces 48 than at their lower faces 49,and are also tapered in their radial extent so as t be wider at theirouter ends 50 The taper from the bottom flaring upwardly causes theprongs to take up heat from the hot products of combustion more rapidlythan would straight untapered spoke-like prongs,

Each of these spoke-like prongs carries flns, shown at 52 and 53 whichin the illustration are transversely triangular and have their edges 54away from the broader-bases 55 which join the spoke-like prong supportsupon which they are carried. On the other hand, in the illustration thebases of these ns follow the tapered faces, and the prongs in theirentireties slope down.- wardly and inwardly. The fins themselves are nottapered and thus are of the same size from base to face at one end as atthe other.

Any desired number of prongs may be carried by the lower section. In theillustration each of the half sections carries seven prongs which areequally spaced from each other but those at the ends are not equallyspaced from the ends of the section. The prong nearer the end of eachsection cooperates as a rib with the upper surface of one of the feetwhere there is a space 56 between inner flanges 51.

The separating and spacing blocks are of two general shapes, one for thefeet below the lowermost disc, seen in Figures 8 and 9, and the other tosupport one disc from another disc, seen in Figures 10 and 11. In eachof the shapes there are two general types, the one type as regards theupper surfaces by which support is given to an intermediate portion ofthe length of a disc (Figures 8 and 10) and the other by which supportis given by the same foot or block to adjacent ends of different discs,(Figures 9 and 11) and at the same time hold the adjacent ends together.

Figures 10 and 11 represent the second shape of blocks used. The feet inFigures 8 and 9 rest upon flat surfaces and thus require no ties belowthe feet but with the blocks of Figures 10 and 11 it is desirable t0anchor the blocks to the next rims beneath them as by dowels 58 forholes 59.

The difference, between the upper surface of the block in Figure 10 (asdistinguishing from that of Figure 11) is due to adaptation to differentpositions of use. The blocks of Figures 8 and 10 type preferably supportthe half bailles at positions in the middle of each half, whereas thetype of Figures 9 and 11 are intended to support the two halves of eachbaille at the points of opposite diametral sides where the ends of eachhalf meet the ends of the other half.

The foot of Figure 8 rests on any suitable surface such as wall 35. Uponits upper surface within space 56 rests the lower rim surface 45 ofapproximately the middle of one of the half sections. Space/SB' liesbetween outer flange 51' and inner flange 51. At one of the prongs, suchas 4I', the lower part of the prong close to the rim rests upon theupper foot surface within space 56 between the inner flange portions 51The outer and inner flanges prevent relatiye radial movement between thelower disc, and the adjacent end walls of the inner flange parts engagethe prong and prevent relative movement of the parts in a directionalong the length of the Ilm.

The foot shown in Figure 9 operates similarly to that shown in Figure 8except that the adjacent ends of two baffle disc halves engage its uppersurface and are held together by it. The groove 46 from one half baillerests over tie strip 41 at the same time that the lower part of a prong4l2 and rim rests upon the space 562 in side a projecting end of theouter flange. The groove 46' of the other half rests over the tie strip41' and the adjacent prong 4 l3 is far enough beyond the block so thatit does not require accommodation bycutting away the opposite end of theinner flange.

The block of Figure 10 is comparable with the foot of Figure 8 with somedifferences, however. It lacks a foot extension and instead secures thebottom of the block in Position by pins 58 interfltting with holes 59 inthe next disc below. If more nearly exact correspondence of the outerand inner curvatures 60, 6| of the block with the curvatures of theadjacent baffles be required than can be secured by making all theblocks of the same curvature different blocks can be used esistesse51'finfeachfbloekeoiresponas gnerny withi'tli'" idritiiidias L1 l?Ali-forftritams are intended tof-j outer' flange'fjin Figure-8 IandLthinne flange bsp ""i members y51- icorrespondapi'aro'xiniatelylwith"thej s Whe -bll'shavebeen biltfiipint'pilesform-y inner nngeifmembers irrrFi'gurefef' Hands 5e ingair-up'wariilyandiriwarfiiyftaperingiinit'the prongsectionsinarthefmiddleof the"dischalvn'si ht prodots of" cmustionftravel upw'adlyl res'tiup'ri"thespacebetwen 'the''outer*andiinnerithrough and between4 `ebaillesandfalongfthe' ilangs and 'where-the innerlflange's aripartdi'to'f pathiare" divertediritothe-annular spde'23where, pe'rrnity passage' of a'f'prorig v corr'ng inhcontctywitli-theliri'r'i'zriwallthey areI The fr'mfyofl'Figure 'illicorrespondslappxiiii liiieff'ctiveito 'hatt hfa'ir in' anair"`matelyfwith thatof'Figur'fQ; -spacefibeingfprcf furnace-on i this--wallfv In?l vided `between outer and inner anges as in Fig- Y y "ittnt'applicaure l9-witlrtiefstripsi-ll'l and 41' with which the tion" of'ithflan'e thy ffarf'htdthroughto'iaf walls of grooves 46 cooperate. Thespace at 62 is high temperature and retain the heat to reflect dividedpartly on one side and partly on the other 15 and refract heat to theinner furnace walls until side of the tie strip 47. Pins appear on thelower they have cooled to normal temperature. part of'this blockcorresponding with the pins It will be evident that the heat resistingand which appear on the lower part of Figure 10, and retaining materialof which the baffles are confor the same purpose. For convenience insecurstructed is not subject to any of the forces tending circulation ofhot combustion products the 20 ing mechanically to deteriorate thebaille and will blocks used in different tiers of the unit may betherefore last a long time.

staggered S0 that adjacent blocks are out of ver- It will be evidentthat the outward and upward tical line. slope of the outer circumferenceof each baie The disc b21-mes progressively decrease in cuttends todivert the hot products of combustion side diameter and increase in themetal provided 5 which merge from between the bafes and te di ascompared with the area of the spaces between rect them toward the innerwall of the furnace metal parts. This will appear very clearly in thechamber, difference between Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 3 The division ofthe bailies into two or more an- Whai'f have been more 'prongs in Figure2 are c0nnular sections facilitates introduction of the bafnected with aring E3 by what become effective as o fles into an existing furnace andstacking them spokes 64 and a function generally corresponding therein,

to that of the prong in Figure 2 is effected by pro- It will be evidentthat the effectiveness of the jections E5. In arranging these baillesone over baffles depends upon volume of metal in each bafanother, it isthe intention to have each space-in ne and the provision of suflicientlylarge spaces the lower baille in part atleast in line with metal 35between the mei-,a1 portions to permit adequate above so that it will benecessary for the hot prodflew of het products of combustion. ucts ofcombustion to divide and travel laterally Though the beta1 transversearea of the baflies between homos For example What iS o Space 55progressively reduce in upper bailles as compared in the hdm@ of Figure2 iioS below o Spoke 54 and with lower ballles the proportion of metalbaffles the space 61 in Figure 3 lies in part at least over o ascompared with the Spaces progressively in.. the Prong H4- creaseupwardly, securing a maximum amount Carrying out the Same idea asCompared with of heat transfer from the hoi-l products of com- Figuie 3the baffi@ ih Figure 4 is Provided With bustion in the upper part of thepile or stack.

an additional ring 68 and the? spaces B7' and 69 In view of my inventionand disclosure variaare povldedhyihe Seeml nos and by Spokes 45 tionsand modifications to meet individual whim 64' 64 Proiectmns 65 appearhere also or particular need will doubtless become evident In Figure 5the spaces in the Outer part of fhe to others skilled in the art, toobtain all or part baffle are shown as corresponding generally with ofthe benefits of my invention Without copying .Spaces $1 Tkfe spokes areof Phe s4 type and the the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim allInner Img 53 beqomes emotive mole. nearly as "o such in so far as theyfall within the reasonable a hub than as a ring but carries interiorproJec- Spirit and Scope of my invention tions as in case of the otherfigures.

Having thus described my 1nvent1on, what I In Figure the fth bams m theumt as shown claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1s split upinto rings of the order generally of Patent is thqSe-m Figure 4 and-theSpaces are qmte Smau' 55 l A heat conserving unit for use in a furnace$5715 Stm more notlceable m the form of Flgto receive and distributeheat from hot products Thugh there are many advantages in a drew 4ofcombustion intermittently applied, comprislar mmol of disc bam@ the bamecan be Cast in ing a plurality of annular metal baffle rings, one otherforms where it is desirable to have the -urabove another and 0f upwardlyreducing outer nace of diierent interior cross section for exam- 6"diameter' each bam@ bemg made up of clrcum ferentially separable parts,the cross section of ple such as square. In order to emphasize this sfact Figure 15 is included to show a single baille the metal parts almgupwardly and the pas' out of a group of bailies having square baie crossSages Within each bams ring converging. up' section. The baiile ofFigure l5 could, of course, 65 Waifhy, arid Supports between the hainesinter' be located at any of various heights in the stack. iooklng Withadiooehi" homo Parts to hold the Because of the close grouping of themetal parts Darts against SidoWiSo moVemehi5- of the baille and therelatively small size of the 2- In a furnace heat retaining Unit, aStack openings providedl in the particular structure of Oflfadialiydivided 21161111131' ared bales -conl- Figure 15 it would be Well orperhaps best suited pllslng Outer rllgs aled .upwardly 100th 1I1S1de foruse as a top baffle 0f the stack, The ferm of 70 and outside the ringsand intermediate connectopening used closely allies this specific baffleto 'ing metal supports spacing the bales from each that shown in Figure7; but it will be noted that other and holding the sections of theindividual the individual openings are of the same characbafes againstseparation laterally where the ter from one side to the other in thisFigurel divided bailles join. f

form. The baille of Figure 15 is split as is indi- 75 3. In a furnaceheat retaining unit, a stack of metal disc baiiles of progressivelysmaller diameters from the bottom upwardly, the batlles having opencenters and the cross sections of the open centers in the baiesprogressively reducing from the bottom upwardly at a rate of reductiongreater than the rate of reduction of the diameters of the baflles.

4. In a furnace heat retaining unit, a tapered stack of metal bailieshaving rims and a plurality of spacers for said bales resting each uponthe rim of the baille below and engaging to prevent lateral movementbetween them and having flanges cooperating with the rims above thebelow to engage with openings in the lower baille and having outer andinner flanges above to engage with the rim of the upper baille and theinner iianges being split; to engage with the radially extending ribs ofthe upper baille.

VICTOR E. ARNOLD.

